This is nonsense, Mr. President. Our country was founded on Judeo-Christian values and morals and a belief in God the Almighty. Our founding fathers understood the potential we had as a new country to achieve greatness in the face of adversity. It was their faith in God and the abilities bestowed upon them that allowed them to overcome the obstacles they encountered. Ladies and gentlemen, this sentiment still bodes true today. It is alive and well in each and every one of you.”
The crowd cheered as Walters’ eyes panned the masses.
“If my opponent, the current president, was here tonight, he would probably tell you that you could only overcome the obstacles in your life with the assistance of the government. All you have to do is look at his monstrous health care mandate where the government has attempted to compel the citizenry to purchase a product that they deem necessary for your happiness.”
He asked everybody to look at the billions of hard earned tax dollars invested in green energy automobiles and called the idea nonsense.
He paced back toward the middle of the stage as the mass applauded loudly. He stopped mid dais and looked to the far reaches of the audience.
“American. You, me, all of you are Americans. What are the four most important letters within that word? Is it ‘Yes we can?’ No, it is ‘I can!’ I can make for a better future for myself and my family! I can overcome the obstacles that are thrust in front of me! I can better my situation without government intervention! I can!”
Walters looked down as he stood at the right side podium. He had the crowd in his hands now and he was not about to let them go.
“You folks, the ones that heckled me, do you agree that an individual, who is possessed of the spirit of commerce, who is focused on success and betterment of his or her life, who will pursue the advantages they created themselves, can achieve almost anything? Do you?”
The rhetorical question was again met with silence from the front row crowd.
“This president does not believe that. Under his administration, the number of Americans on welfare and food stamps has grown exponentially. By extending the unemployment benefit to ninety-nine weeks, this president has not helped the people but has hindered them. He has discouraged many Americans from looking for work. Many of our able bodied countrymen are living off the government and their fellow citizens and it is because of this president’s abuse of the system. He believes that if he keeps this population dependent on him and the federal government, he can control you. Well we are Americans and nobody in government should control how we earn a living or live our lives.”
He paced back and forth while delivering his messages. Hahn turned to Anders and asked how much the big guy had left in him. Murray beat Anders to the answer.
“He’s just getting warmed up.”
Walters looked up at his statue and pointed. He explained that this man had great men around him, men that put their country before their own well being by creating a militia that went to war against a superior fighting force, the British. He went on to explain that many of these men lost their lives for their country.
“From the time of the Revolutionary War, through the War of 1812 and the wars of the twentieth century, World War I and II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War and the current battles in the Middle East, our fighting American soldiers have continued to be the model for military forces around the world. And you know why? Because we are a free society. We are free because these fighting men and women keep us free, allow us to sleep well at night knowing they are sitting guard. But does our president believe this? Just ask him.”
The candidate pointed to the empty podium, eliciting a roar of laughter from the audience. Walters went on to list the current administration’s efforts to weaken the US military, from budget cuts and thinning personnel to fostering bad morale through the scourge of political correction and lack of support.
“Our captured enemies are treated better than our own soldiers. And that will not happen in my administration! Our fighting men and women are so mistrusted by this administration that they were forced to put down their arms when the Secretary of Defense recently visited them in Afghanistan. And that was for a morale boost!”
The sound of cheers shook the microphone and reverberated down the concrete canyons. Cheering came from the windows above and George acknowledged them with his favorite newfound gesture: a thumbs up.
“See this guy behind me?”
He asked the question rhetorically for effect. He pointed to the statue of General Washington and held his pose.
“He once said that being diligent in preparation for war is the most effectual means for preserving peace. You know who followed those words perfectly? Some guy named Ronald Reagan.”
He once again stepped toward the other podium and other microphone. For effect, he put his microphone in his jacket pocket and stepped behind the president’s podium. He held his hands out.
“What, no teleprompter?”
The crowd erupted into a roar that rivaled a rock concert. Walters used the president’s own words.
“When this man campaigned four years ago, he questioned our military presence in the Middle East on a daily basis. He ridiculed his opponent’s political party for starting the wars and overstaying our welcome. He even said that we should avoid any foreign entanglements. Well, Mr. President, what are we doing in Afghanistan and Syria and Libya? You have been more of an aggressor than any of the recent presidents.”
Walters went on to talk about discipline, describing it as the soul of any army or any group for that matter.
“Whether it is a military force, a kindergarten class or a Freemason meeting, you cannot be successful unless you take a disciplined and organized approach. If you are undisciplined, you will lose the battle and your kids will be out of control. An undisciplined administration and White House is a disaster waiting to happen. And that is what we have right now. The president’s message changes like the wind, by the hour. He does not listen to his cabinet and he does what he pleases, without regard for the American people or American industry. And that is unacceptable.”
He looked across the stage for what seemed like the hundredth time. He asked the ghost of the president’s podium if he needed a commercial break, which drew more laughs from the hundreds of thousands of people in attendance. He decided to change the tone a bit and become more serious.
“We are back to the malaise of the Carter administration.”
Walters detailed how the late 1970’s was a time of low morale because of the economy, troubles with Iran, and skyrocketing gasoline prices. He said that anti-Americanism and lack of patriotism had also risen in a similar fashion under the current president.
“Just imagine, almost eleven years to the day, the people of this country and, more specifically, this city, watched in horror as the great towers fell only a few hundred yards from where I stand right now. Do you remember the American pride that each and every one of us exuded that day and the weeks and years that followed? If that happened today, I would shudder to think how this apologetic president would react.”
He went on to say that the whole world has turned upside down and what was right is now wrong and what was up is now down. And he had no explanation.
“Even respectable men and women, elected officials and individuals responsible for delivering our daily news on television and in print, now speak of our monarchial form of government without horror or question. They sit idly by while the president continues to circumvent that great foundation this country was built upon. The U.S. Constitution. Anybody know what the meaning of the word Czar is?”
A few yeahs could be heard over the inaudible din of the people.
“The word Czar is derived from the Latin word Caesar, meaning monarch, emperor or supreme ruler. Anybody know how many czars have been appointed in the past four years? Don’t look over there because you won’t get an answer. Over forty czars. How many have been confirmed by the Senate? You can count them on one hand. If
you remember anything from this debate, remember that arbitrary power is most easily established on the ruins of liberty abused to licentiousness or lacking moral restraint.”
Calmer applause followed as the crowd fed off Walters’ serious tone. It was time to turn up the dial once again and hit the nerve of the people. He walked to where his new founders were seated.
“How about the First Amendment, freedom of speech? How about that great medium in our great country called talk radio. If the president was standing up there, he would tell you that the hosts of conservative talk shows were hate mongers, trying to scare the populace into voting Republican. He said a fairness doctrine should be put back in place. Equal time. The problem with that ladies and gentlemen is that nobody listens to liberal and left-wing talk radio. Americans at their core are conservative and do not like hearing the bile being spewed about everything that is wrong with America.”
He stood directly in front of Anders.
“See this man in front of me? His name is Josh Anders and he is public enemy number one to this current administration. They will stop at nothing until he is silenced. Well I can promise one thing, this great man is not about to be silenced, not in the least!”
The throng let out a deafening cheer at the mention of Anders’ name. Simultaneous chants of Josh and VP wafted toward the building tops. It took a few moments before Walters could continue.
“If freedom of speech is taken away, we may and will be taken away and, like the dumb and silent, we will be led like sheep to slaughter. A man who cannot call his tongue his own can scarce call anything his own. As president, I promise that will never happen.”
He shook Anders’ hand and headed back toward center stage.
“This president continues to be an advocate of despotism. As I stated earlier, he believes that we are incapable of governing ourselves and that the system this country was founded on is merely fallacious. A system founded by the likes of men named Jefferson and Adams and Madison and Hamilton. Who would you trust at the helm of this great country, one of these men or the fallacious man who currently holds the office?”
Cheers echoed as the man called Frank Walters went behind the podium and placed his microphone back in the stand. He knew he spoke enough and decided it was a good time to wrap up the conversation.
“I remind all Americans that every post is honorable in which a man can serve his country, not serve himself nor his personal egotistical needs. Unfortunately, that cannot be said of the current administration or its Commander-in-Chief. It is said that few men have the virtue to withstand the highest bidder, as we see every day in the politics of this country. Well I can tell you I am not one of those individuals. I am not even a career politician.
I am just an American who served his country and served his family in an honorable manner; a so-called ordinary American with a plan to bring this country back to its original glory. So that when we meet our God and our founding fathers, we can stand proudly before them.”
“In executing the duties of president of this great nation, I can promise nothing but purity of intentions and, in carrying these into effect, fidelity and diligence. My main goals as president will be to remove government from your lives, preserve and defend the Constitution, and protect America and our citizens from enemies foreign and domestic.
“I thank you for joining me this evening and may God bless America.”
Washington walked to center stage and stood at attention, as if to invite a potential assassin to take a shot at him. He beamed as the masses surged toward him, only to be detained by the NYPD. He humbly received the adoration; if there were any boos or protests, they were drowned out by the fervor amongst the supporters.
Within seconds, studio lights on the network platforms fired on the air. After what seemed like an eternity, the candidate bowed and turned toward the walkway and exited the Federal Hall stage. The new founders followed him into the covered walkway and to the waiting limousine that whisked them away.
The initial reaction from the media in general was positive. Even the liberal outlets reported that the one man debate was a clever idea executed powerfully. The conservative networks were unanimous in their opinion that Frank Walters not only locked up the conservative vote, but may have won the election right there and then.
However, one liberal talking head had not bought in.
“Do you believe that guy? He thinks he’s a combination of George Washington and Elvis.”
William Fredericks stood, arms crossed, watching the crowd below wave and sing praises of the candidate. He shook his head as The Who’s “Won’t Get Fooled Again” blared in the background. He turned back to the set, not expecting what he saw behind him.
“What are you doing?”
Sophia Fredericks was standing among the WNN technical folks applauding and swaying to the music. She was laughing and singing along with the conservative revelers on Broad Street. Fredericks’ initial shock wore off and he exploded.
“Bollocks, Sophia, what the hell? Are you one of them now? I can’t believe my bloody eyes!”
The set went silent. Sophia was the one with the shocked look. She saw Fredericks’ outbursts from time to time but this was the first time he ever directed it at her. His high piercing voice cut through the roar below and even Jenson on the next platform turned his attention toward Fredericks.
Sophia stood in disbelief as Fredericks let out another string of expletives in her direction. She started to well up, more out of embarrassment than being yelled at by her husband. She sulked into her chair as WNN personnel pretended to be busy. Fredericks’ producer reminded him that he was about to go on the air but it did not seem to sink in.
Fredericks’ eyes were fire red and the veins stuck out of his neck as he fumed. Fredericks’ wife turned away, not wanting to see the optical daggers being hurled her way. As she turned, Fredericks, still enraged, sat down at the desk and adjusted his remote microphone. His producer whispered in his ear that he needed to calm down. Fredericks took a deep breath but could not shake the internal inferno. He went on the air with a verbal tirade, this time directed at his nemesis Frank Walters, which pushed the boundaries of FCC guidelines.
As he wrapped up his analysis ten minutes later, he saw that Sophia had disappeared. But unlike previous instances where they quarreled, Fredericks felt nothing. Watching his wife support his foe had flipped a switch in Fredericks’ head that cemented his persona, possibly forever. It looked as though They had finally won.
Chapter 29
Since his one man debate, the Walters’ team had not only drawn the attention of the liberal national media and the president, but of the Republican Establishment as well. It was now only two weeks before the convention in Tampa and the Republicans had yet to produce a legitimate frontrunner. Each candidate continued to conduct himself as if they were marksmen in a circular firing squad.
While they were hell bent on destroying one another, Frank Walters rocketed in the polls. The RNC was nervous, having no answer for the one man show that the entire country witnessed just a few days earlier. Rader and the Walters’ team figured the entire primary process was destined to be decided in a brokered convention only eight weeks before the general election. Under Republican rules, if neither candidate won the majority of delegates, those delegates were free to vote for any candidate of their choosing.
In other words, everything seemed to be breaking nicely for the Walters’ campaign. Perhaps they would have the opportunity to win over the Republican establishment prior to the convention. Rader just hoped that the RNC was smart enough to realize that Mr. Frank Walters was their only shot to beat the president.
Walters found evidence that Providence had planned his rise several months before he met the New Founders in Philadelphia. While researching on Hahn’s iPad, he came across a New York Post Op/Ed piece from March of that year describing the Republican nomination process. Washington had to read the quote aloud.
“Guys, listen to this. ‘S
o what then? A magical figure descends from the heavens, one of the people who took a look at the election and decided he (or she) couldn’t actually win and therefore didn’t run?’”
Hahn blurted out laughing, “The heavens? Is that where you are from?”
Walters ignored the quip and finished his thought. “That’s kind of eerie, wouldn’t you say, my friends?”
Tongue firmly in his cheek, Hahn took the iPad and stood up. He scratched his head, put his fist up to his chin, and put on a regal sounding voice as he read another passage to the ceiling.
“Hmmm? ‘But where would such a person find a ready-made campaign organization to take on the president in the seven weeks until Election Day—with local organizations county by county and neighborhood by neighborhood, SuperPACs at the ready. Oh, and a vetted vice-presidential nominee as well?’”
He handed the computer back to Walters who finished the point by reading that any such scenario involving an unprepared candidate and running mate would likely be a world-historical disaster, far worse for the GOP than even a weak nominee. The consequences further down the ticket would be parlous, as well.
“Anders, read this. Seems Providence has been at this longer than we thought. Our circumstances are not exactly what the writer describes but fantastically similar.”
Anders just smiled.
“You know, sir, now that you mention it, I think I had seen that piece and maybe even quoted it on my show.” Showing the iPad to Steve, he asked what his cousin thought.
“Hey, maybe in eight years when your term is up, you can help us summon Abe Lincoln.”
Rader entered the room and paused. The jovial mood abruptly stopped and he wondered what the discussion was about. A split second later, he snapped back and informed the campaign hierarchy that he was there to deliver some big news.
“You guys ready for this? I just got a call from the head of the Republican National Committee. He wants to meet us in secret, tomorrow morning outside of Pittsburgh. Six o’clock in the morning in some retreat house, and he said representatives of each Republican candidate will be there.”
The New Founders Page 26
